the governess-第15章

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or　so　she　called　her　low　cunning）　be　suffering　perpetual　uneasiness？　and　shall　you；　who　have　neither　beauty；　power；　nor　wisdom；　pretend　to　be　happy　and　cheerful？〃　　Then　would　she　cry　and　stamp；　and　rave　like　a　mad　creature；　and　set　her　invention　at　work　to　make　my　mother　beat　me；　or　lock　me　up；　or　take　from　me　some　of　my　best　clothes　to　give　to　her；　yet　still　could　not　her　power　extend　to　vex　my　mind：　　and　this　used　to　throw　her　again　into　such　passions；　as　weakened　her　health；　and　greatly　impaired　her　so　much　boasted　beauty。

'In　this　manner　we　lived；　till　on　a　certain　day；　after　Brunetta　had　been　in　one　of　her　rages　with　me　for　nothing；　my　father　came　in　and　chid　her　for　it；　which；　when　my　mother　heard；　she　threw　herself　into　such　a　violent　passion；　that　her　husband　could　not　pacify　her。　　And；　being　big　with　child；　the　convulsions；　caused　by　her　passions；　brought　her　to　her　grave。　　Thus　my　father　lost　her；　by　the　same　uncontrollable　excesses；　the　fatal　effects　of　which　he　had　before　ruined　his　daughter　to　preserve　her　from。　　He　did　not　long　survive　her；　but；　before　he　died；　gave　me　a　little　wand；　which；　by　striking　three　times　on　the　ground；　he　said；　would　at　any　time　produce　me　any　necessary　or　convenience　of　life；　which　I　really　wanted；　either　for　myself；　or　the　assistance　of　others；　and　this　he　gave　me；　because　he　was　very　sensible；　he　said；　that　as　soon　as　he　was　dead；　my　sister　would　never　rest　till　she　had　got　from　me　both　his　castle；　and　everything　that　I　had　belonging　to　me；　in　it。　　〃But；〃　continued　he；　〃whenever　you　are　driven　from　thence；　bend　your　course　directly　into　the　pleasant　wood　Ardella；　there　strike　with　your　wand；　and　everything　you　want；　will　be　provided　for　you。　　But　keep　this　wand　a　profound　secret；　or　Brunetta　will　get　it　from　you；　and　then　（though　you　can　never；　while　you　preserve　your　patience；　be　unhappy）　you　will　not　have　it　in　your　power　to　be　of　so　much　use　as　you　would　wish　to　be；　to　those　who　shall　stand　in　need　of　your　assistance。〃　　Saying　these　words；　he　expired；　as　I　kneeled　by　his　bedside；　attending　his　last　commands；　and　bewailing　the　loss　of　so　good　a　father。

'In　the　midst　of　this　our　distress；　we　sent　to　my　Uncle　Sochus；　my　father's　brother；　to　come　to　us；　and　to　assist　us　in　an　equal　division　of　my　deceased　father's　effects；　but　my　sister　soon　contrived　to　make　him　believe；　that　I　was　the　wickedest　girl　alive；　and　had　always　set　my　father　against　her　by　my　art；　which　she　said　I　pretended　to　call　my　wisdom；　and　by　several　handsome　presents　she　soon　persuaded　him　（for　he　did　not　care　a　farthing　for　either　of　us）　to　join　with　her　in　saying；　that；　as　she　was　the　eldest　sister；　she　had　a　full　right　to　the　castle；　and　everything　in　it；　but　she　told　me　I　was　very　welcome　to　stay　there；　and　live　with　her；　if　I　pleased；　and　while　I　behaved　myself　well；　she　should　be　very　glad　of　my　company。

'As　it　was　natural　for　me　to　love　every　one　that　would　give　me　leave　to　love　them；　I　was　quite　overjoyed　at　this　kind　offer　of　my　sister's；　and　never　once　thought　on　the　treachery　she　had　so　lately　been　guilty　of；　and　I　have　since　reflected；　that　happy　was　it　for　me；　that　passion　was　so　much　uppermost　with　her；　that　she　could　not　execute　any　plot；　that　required　a　dissimulation　of　any　long　continuance；　for　had　her　good　humour　lasted　but　one　four…and…twenty　hours；　it　is　very　probable　that　I　should　have　opened　my　whole　heart　to　her；　should　have　endeavoured　to　have　begun　a　friendship　with　her；　and　perhaps　have　betrayed　the　secret　of　my　wand；　but　just　as　it　was　sunset；　she　came　into　the　room　where　I　was；　in　the　most　violent　passion　in　the　world；　accusing　me　to　my　uncle　of　ingratitude　to　her　great　generosity；　in　suffering　me　to　live　in　her　castle。　　She　said；　〃that　she　had　found　me　out；　and　that　my　crimes　were　of　the　blackest　dye；〃　although　she　would　not　tell　me　either　what　they　were；　or　who　were　my　accusers。　　She　would　not　give　me　leave　to　speak；　either　to　ask　what　my　offence　was；　or　to　justify　my　innocence；　and　I　plainly　perceived；　that　her　pretended　kindness　was　only　designed　to　make　my　disappointment　the　greater；　and　that　she　was　now　determined　to　find　me　guilty；　whether　I　pleaded；　or　not。　　And　after　she　had　raved　on　for　some　time；　she　said　to　me　with　a　sneer；　〃Since　you　have　always　boasted　of　your　calm　and　contented　mind；　you　may　now　try　to　be　contented　this　night　with　the　softness　of　the　grass　for　your　bed；　for　here　in　my　castle　you　shall　not　stay　one　moment　longer。〃　　And　so　saying；　she　and　my　uncle　led　me　to　the　outer　court；　and　thrusting　me　with　all　their　force　from　them；　they　shut　up　the　gates；　bolting　and　barring　them　as　close　as　if　to　keep　out　a　giant；　and　left　me；　at　that　time　of　night；　friendless；　and；　as　they　thought；　destitute　of　any　kind　of　support。

'I　then　remembered　my　dear　father's　last　words；　and　made　what　haste　I　could　to　this　wood；　which　is　not　above　a　mile　distant　from　the　castle；　and　being；　as　I　thought；　about　the　middle　of　it；　I　struck　three　times　with　my　wand；　and　immediately　up　rose　this　grove　of　trees；　which　you　see；　this　house；　and　all　the　other　conveniences；　which　I　now　enjoy；　and　getting　that　very　night　into　this　my　plain　and　easy　bed；　I　enjoyed　as　sweet　a　repose　as　ever　I　did　in　my　life；　only　delayed；　indeed；　a　short　time；　by　a　few　sighs；　for　the　loss　of　so　good　a　parent；　and　the　unhappy　state　of　a　self…tormented　sister；　whose　slumbers　（I　fear）　on　a　bed　of　down；　were　more　restless　and　interrupted　that　night　than　mine　would　have　been；　even　had　not　my　father's　present　of　the　wand　prevented　me　from　the　necessity　of　using　the　bed　of　grass；　which　she；　in　her　wrath；　allotted　me。　　In　this　grove；　which　I　call　Placid　Grove；　is　contained　all　that　I　want；　and　it　is　so　well　secured　from　any　invaders；　by　the　thick　briars　and　thorns　which　surround　it；　having　no　entrance　but　through　that　tender　jessamine；　that　I　live　in　no　apprehensions　of　any　disturbance；　though　so　near　my　sister's　castle。　　But　once；　indeed；　she　came　with　a　large　train；　and；　whilst　I　was　asleep；　set　fire　to　the　trees　all　around　me；　and　waking；　I　found　myself　almost　suffocated　with　smoke；　and　the　flames　had　reached　one　part　of　my　House。　　I　started　from　my　bed；　and　striking　on　the　ground　three　times　with　my　wand；　there　came　such　a　quantity　of　water　from　the　heavens；　as　soon　extinguished　the　fire；　and　the　next　morning；　by　again　having　recourse　to　my　wand；　all　things　grew　up　into　their　convenient　and　proper　order。　　When　my　sister　Brunetta　found　that　I　had　such　a　supernatural　power　at　my　command；　though　she　knew　not　what　it　was；　she　desisted　from　ever　attempting　any　more　by　force　to　disturb　me；　and　now　only　uses　all　sorts　of　arts　and　contrivances　to　deceive　me；　or　any　persons　whom　I　would　wish　to　secure。　　One　of　my　father's　daily　lessons　to　me　was；　that　I　should　never　omit　any　one　day　of　my　life　endeavouring　to　be　as　serviceable　as　I　possibly　could　to　any　person　in　distress。　　And　I　daily　wander；　as　far　as　my　feet　will　carry　me；　in　search　of　any　such；　and　hither　I　invite　them　to　peace　and　calm　contentment。　　But　my　father　added　also　this　command；　that　I　should　never　endeavour　doing　any　farther　good　to　those　whom　adversity　had　not　taught　to　hearken　to　the　voice　of　reason；　enough　to　enable　them　so　to　conquer　their　passions　as　not　to　think　themselves　miserable　in　a　safe　retreat　from　noise　and　confusion。　　This　was　the　reason　I　could　not　gratify　you　in　relating　the　history　of　my　life；　whilst　you　gave　way　to　raging　passions；　which　only　serve　to　blind　your　eyes；　and　shut　your　ears　from　truth。　　But　now；　great　queen　（for　I　know　your　state；　from　what　you　vented　in　your　grief）；　I　am　ready　to　endow　this　little　princess　with　any　gift　in　my　power；　that　I　know　will　tend　really　to　her　good；　and　I　hope　your　experience　of　the　world　has　made　you　too　reasonable　to　require　any　other。'

The　queen　considered　a　little　while；　and　then　desired　Sybella　to　endow　the　princess　with　that　only　wisdom　which　would　enable　her　to　see　and　follow　what　was　her　own　true　good；　to　know　the　value　of　everything　around　her；　and　to　be　sensible　that　following　the　paths　of　goodness　and　performing　her　duty　was　the　only　road　to　content　and　happiness。

Sybella　was　overjoyed　at　the　queen's　request；　and　immediately　granted　it；　only　telling　the　Princess　Hebe；　that　it　was　absolutely　necessary　towards　the　attainment　of　this　great　blessing；　that　she　should　entirely　obey　the　queen　her　mother；　without　ever　pretending　to　examine　her　commands；　for　'true　obedience　（said　she）　consists　in　submission；　and　when　we　pretend　to　choose　what　commands　are　proper　and　fit　for　us；　we　don't　obey；　but　set　up　our　own　wisdom　in　opposition　to　our　governorsthis；　my　dear　Hebe；　you　must　be　very　careful　of　avoiding；　if　you　would　be　happy。'　　She　then　cautioned　her　against　giving　way　to　the　persuasions　of　any　of　the　young　shepherdesses　thereabouts；　who　would　endeavour　to　allure　her　to　disobedience；　by　striving　to　raise　in　her　mind　a　desire　of　thinking　herself　wise；　whilst　they　were　tearing　from　her　what　was　indeed　true　wisdom。　　'For　（said　Sybella）　my　sister　Brunetta；　who　lives　in　the　castle　she　drove　me　from　（about　a　mile　from　this　wood）　endows　young　shepherdesses　with　great　beauty；　and　everything　that　is　in　appearance　amiable；　and　likely　to　persuade；　in　order　to　allure　away　and　make　wretched；　those　persons　I　would　preserve：　　and　all　the　wisdom　with　which　I　have　endowed　the　Princess　Hebe　will　not　prevent　her　falling　into　my　sister's　snares；　if　she　gives　the　least　way　to　temptation；　for　my　father's　gift　to　Brunetta；　in　her　infancy；　enables　her　（as　I　told　you）　to　succeed　in　all　her　designs；　except　they　are　resisted　by　the　virtue　of　the　person　she　is　practising　against。　　Many　poor　wretches　has　my　sister　already　decoyed　away　from　me；　whom　she　now　keeps　in　her　castle；　where　they　live　in　splendor　and　seeming　joy；　but　in　real　misery；　from　perpetual　jars　and　tumults；　railed　by　envy；　malice；　and　all　the　train　of　tumultuous　and　tormenting　passions。'

The　Princess　Hebe　said；　she　doubted　not　but　she　should　be　able　to　withstand　any　of　Brunetta's　temptations。　　Her　mother　interrupting　her；　cried　out；　'Oh；　my　dear　child；　though　you　are　endowed　with　wisdom　enough　to　direct　you　in　the　way　to　virtue；　yet　if　you　grow　conceited　and　proud　of　that　wisdom；　and　fancy　yourself　above　temptation；　it　will　lead　you　into　the　worst　of　all　evils。'　　Here　the　fairy　interposed；　and　told　the　Princess　Hebe；　that　if　she　would　always　carefully　observe　and　obey　her　mother；　who　had　learned　wisdom　in　that　best　school；　adversity；　she　would　then；　indeed；　be　able　to　withstand　and　overcome　every　temptation；　and　would　likewise　be　happy　herself；　and　able　to　dispense　happiness　to　all　around　her。　　Nothing　was　omitted　by　the　fairy　to　make　this　retirement　agreeable　to　her　royal　guests；　and　they　had　now　passed　near　seven　years　in　this　delightful　grove；　in　perfect　peace　and　tranquillity；　when　one　evening；　as　they　were　walking　in　the　pleasant　wood　which　surrounded　their　habitation；　they　espied　under　the　shade；　and　leaning　against　the　bark　of　a　large　oak；　a　poor　old　man；　whose　limbs　were　withered　and　decayed；　and　whose　eyes　were　hollow；　and　sunk　with　age　and　misery。　　They　stopped　as　soon　as　they　saw　him；　and　heard　him　in　the　anguish　of　his　heart；　with　a　loud　groan；　utter　these　words：　　'When　will　my　sorrows　end？　　Where　shall　I　find　the　good　fairy　Sybella？'　　The　fairy　immediately　be